Air valve for fuel tanks



J. A. BAER.

I AIR VALVE FOR FUEL TANKS. APPHCATION FILED MAY 10, 1920.

1,425,358. I Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

li i f/llz/zwlllllllilll UNITEE PATET OFFICE.

JACOB A. BAER, OF 'HONESDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR VALVE FOR-FUEL TANKS.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB A. BAER, citizen of the United States, residing at Honesdale, in the county of Wayne and State of Pennsylvania have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air Valves for Fuel Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. a

This invention relates to a valve controlled venting device for containers. It isparticularly applicable for use on gasoline tanks for motor vehicles.

The objects of the invention are to pro vide a valve which under normal conditions of gradual feed of liquid from the container affords free access of air into the tank to equalize pressures as liquid is drawn from the tank; to provide a valve that will permit air to be forced into the tank for raising pressure and retaining the pressure therein above atmospheric, when desired.

In the drawings. wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective of a screw-fitted closure provided with the improved valve;

Figure 2 is a cross section therethrough;

Figure 3 is a plan of the closure cap with Valve removed;

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of details.

Tanks for containing liquid fuel used in internal combustion engines are provided ordinarily with threaded caps fitted to a filling opening. The filling opening may be internally threaded and the cap externally threaded or the filling orifice may be surrounded by a flange threaded on the outside, and the cap may be provided with a cooperating flange threaded on the inside. My invention is applicable to either of the said types of cap, and in fact, it is not material what the particular form of cap may be. In the drawing the cap illustrated is such as is used on the fuel tank regularly mounted on a Ford car. i

The cap 1 shown, is internally threaded, and adapted to be screwed into the sput 2, which is welded or otherwise secured to a tank 3. The cap 1 has, extending transversely, theusual ribs or lugs 1 adapted to be seized by the thumb and fingers, or engaged by a wrench when it is desired to Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 8 1922 Application filed May 10, V

1920. Serial No. 380,288.

screw the cap on or off, or to tightenor loosen it.

It is usual to provide a small vent orifice in caps of this sort used in gasoline tanks At one side of the center'of screw cap 1- is a threaded opening 10 Into' said threaded opening is screwed a tube 10 having its upper extremity reduced as at Hand threaded externally, said tube 10 constituting a valve casing and venting nozzle." The casing is bored and counterbored. That portion of the .casing or tube below the reduced end has a large counterbore. 12 which terminates at its upper end in a valve seat 13, accurately ground to receive a check valve 14:, shown of spherical form. From the center of the valve seat 13 a small bore or orifice 13 extends from'the counterbore 12 through the reduced part '11 to the top of the tube 10. Threaded into the lower, end/ of the counterbore in the tube 10 is a plug 16 having a central orifice 17 therethrough, and provided with a notch 18 with which a screw driver may be engaged in order to screw the said plug 16 into the lower end of tube 10. Between the plug 16 and the Valve 14: is a coiled spring 19 tending to press the valve 14 against the seat 13 in the tube.

A. cap 20, internally threaded, and having plane at its lower end and said lower end of the tube 21 is adapted to engage and press the valve 14 away from its seat 13 when the cap 20 is screwed to the top of the tube 10. q

S leeved in a groove around the cap 20 is a split collar 23 adaptedtorotate freely with respect to saidcap and having a pair 01 ears 24 connected by a cross pin24 which passes through an end link of a chain 25,

the other-end of which is attached to the tube 10 as at 26. The cap 20 may, therea fore, be removed from the tube 10 and reit cannot be lost. i

In the position shown in Figure 2 the vent is open and gasoline or other liquid flowing from thetank Will-be replacedby air main attached to it by thechain 25 so that entering the tank through the nits-'21, enterair passing laterally by Way of the slits 22 inthe lower end of the tube and around the hall valve 14 into the tank by way of orifice '17 initheplug 16. Should it be desired to retain super atmospheric pressureini the tanln'thecap 20 should be unscrewed, a1- lowing the valve .14 towbe. pressed against the seat 13. By'the expansive force of the '19; supplemented by the foutward pressure, if the tank is filled with air, or gases under pressure higher than atmospheric, the valvevl l will remain firmly seated and prevent any outward flow ofthe air or other-gasesin the tankthrough the orifice, thus maintaining any desired {pressure necessary to force-feed the liquid contents to the point of use thereof.

Vhefi it is desired to increase pressure upon the liquid :in the tank in order to feed said liquid contentsfltherefrom, as, 'for exairiple,,ivhen the gasoline is low or the position of the tank is such that gravityis not efiective to "remove said contents, the cap 20 may he unscrewed and a ,punip thr'eaded to the reduced end 11 of the tube 10, may be operatedto force air pastthe check valve llxinto the tank. Upon renioval offthe purnp the pressure withinfthe tank will be re andiit adapts the tank to be filledwith Connpressed-air, or to be normally vented through one; nozzle oralcasl-ng and one alr passage, and to automatlcally 'confinethe .air vvitlnn a the tank under pressure.

.wWhat I claimis:

H 1; i The combination ofa valvecasinghaving, a counterborednpassa ge therethrough,

andan exteriorly threaded end, a valve seat ,at the junction ,of the bore and eounterbore a he re env t aa rwb a apfiedto close against said seat, an interiorly threaded cap adapted to fit the ezrterio rly 1 assess threaded end of said casing, said cap having atube, open from end'towend, secured thereto, and adapted to snugly fit the bore or srnaller portion of said passage and to press the valve from its seat, said tube having a longitudinal slit inits lower end; 1

Ward onisaid casing and vent said container v v or allow the valve to remain seatee ehen said cap is screwed upwardfthereon.

3. Thejcombination in container having a filling opening, of a closurecap ther'efor having an'orifice therein, a valvecas ing fitting said orifice, said valve casing havirig exterior screw threadsjon' its end, a check valve in saidcasing'adapted to seat under outward pressure aventing cap adapted to be screwed on said threaded endof the valve casing, said venting cap haying a means for pressing-the valve from its seat tove'nt the container whenthe seated cap is"screwed down, and'to allow the valves to' seat when the venting cap is screwed upward, said venting cap having an exterior annular groove, a swivele'd lring seated in sa'id groove, and a flexible connection between said ring and said closure cap.

4:. The conibination of a container having a' filling opening,atreinovable, closure a for said opening, a venting device on said closure having a venting orifice, a check valve adapted to close the orifice under'pressure existing within the container so as to prevent the escape of pressure therefrom when said valve is seated, a springtending to seat said checkvalve and an orificed havingastem adapted to unseat the check valveto permitaescape ofpressure through the orificein the cap when said cap is'closed.

1 5. The combination of avalve casing having a counterbored passage ltherethrough, a valve seat at the junction of the bore'and counterbore,a ballvalve adapted to close against said seat, a coiled compression spring in thecounterlooreexerting its tension to seat the ballifialve, a cap threaded to the outer end of the valve casing,=said cap carrying an ,open ended tube; adapted to fit o snugly the bore or smaller portion .of said passage] and to press the ballvalve from its seat, saidvtube havinga lateralopening adjacent its lower endto perinit venting when theball. valve is depressed.

i 6. The, combination of a container adapted to hold gasoline or the like under pressure, said container having a suitable filling spring for retaining the valve against its orifice to admit liquid and an air inlet and seat, and a device adapted to push the valve venting device; said air inlet and venting away from its seat to vent the container at 10 device comprising a valve casing having an will.

5 orifice therethrough, a valve seat therein, a In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

valve adapted to engage said seat to prevent escape of pressure from the container, a JACOB A BAER. 

